And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

2 CHRONICLES 24:5KJV
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2 Chronicles 24:5 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 24:5 mean?

2 Chronicles 24:5 describes how King Joash gathered the priests and Levites and instructed them to go throughout the cities of Judah to collect money from all Israel for repairing the temple of God, urging them to do it quickly. However, the Levites did not act with urgency as the king had directed.

King Joash is speaking to the priests and Levites, who were responsible for temple service and maintenance. The temple had fallen into disrepair, so Joash wanted funds collected regularly to restore it. The verse points out that, despite the king’s clear instructions and sense of urgency, the Levites were slow to carry out the task.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 24:5

  • "gather" (קָבַץ, qavats): This word means to collect or assemble. Here, it refers both to Joash gathering the priests and Levites, and to their task of collecting money from the people, emphasizing an organized and purposeful effort.
  • "repair" (חָזַק, chazaq): This word often means to strengthen or make firm. In this context, it highlights that the temple needed not just cosmetic fixes but real strengthening and restoration.
  • "hasten" (מָהַר, mahar): This word means to hurry or act quickly. The repetition—Joash tells them to hurry, but the Levites did not hurry—draws attention to their lack of urgency and possibly hints at reluctance or other obstacles.

Why 2 Chronicles 24:5 matters

  • The verse highlights a gap between leadership’s intentions and the actions of those expected to carry them out, showing that good plans depend on willing cooperation.
  • By noting the Levites’ lack of haste, the verse sets up the following narrative, where Joash must address this problem more directly, giving insight into the challenges of temple restoration.
  • The mention of collecting money “from year to year” shows that maintaining the temple was meant to be an ongoing, communal responsibility, not just a one-time project.

Where else these words appear

“from” Hebrew H1767 · used in 35 verses

  • Exodus 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
  • 1 Samuel 18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
  • Isaiah 40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

“hasten” Hebrew H4116 · used in 60 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • Judges 9:48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
  • Esther 5:5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

“together” Hebrew H6908 · used in 121 verses

  • Genesis 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
  • 2 Chronicles 32:6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
  • Jeremiah 31:8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.